MR LEE Yong Se was aiming to be pragmatic when he wrote that "while the Government is doing its utmost to strengthen the social safety net, it must not neglect the importance of fostering self-reliance among citizens" ("Stand firm against dependency mindset"; March 23).
While self-reliance is a positive trait and is vitally important for a society's survival, there remain some pressing issues that cannot be ignored and avoided.
For instance, there are legitimate cases of citizens trapped by unforeseen circumstances, such as serious illness or retrenchment, which have led to public housing mortgage problems ("More rental flat applicants used to own homes"; March 23).
The list of reasons also includes social ills like debt, divorce, family conflicts and unwise spending.
The philosophical teachings of Confucius and Mencius on the state of governance state that one of the chief duties and obligations of government is to alleviate the people's suffering.
Everyone should have a home and a place to live a decent life and build their family.
Those who cannot support themselves should be taken care of by the Government.
May our Government exercise prudence and increase its "heartware" for citizens who are poor and vulnerable or have fallen through society's cracks.
Ada Chan Siew Foen
While self-reliance is a positive trait and is vitally important for a society's survival, there remain some pressing issues that cannot be ignored and avoided.
For instance, there are legitimate cases of citizens trapped by unforeseen circumstances, such as serious illness or retrenchment, which have led to public housing mortgage problems ("More rental flat applicants used to own homes"; March 23).
The list of reasons also includes social ills like debt, divorce, family conflicts and unwise spending.
The philosophical teachings of Confucius and Mencius on the state of governance state that one of the chief duties and obligations of government is to alleviate the people's suffering.
Everyone should have a home and a place to live a decent life and build their family.
Those who cannot support themselves should be taken care of by the Government.
May our Government exercise prudence and increase its "heartware" for citizens who are poor and vulnerable or have fallen through society's cracks.
Ada Chan Siew Foen
